Looking for answers to life's questions

Posts tagged ‘projects’

All winter I mentioned to my son that when he came for a visit, he should fly out and rent a large truck and take lots of stuff back with him. He had to drive one of those when he moved his things back to Arizona and it wasn’t fun. It was January, cold and lots of snow and ice all the way. It’s summer now, almost.

All 3 lilac bushes in the memory garden are blooming.

Does he listen to his mom? Not usually. I was hoping he would wait another month to come out until I was a little more rested and ready for the chores and clearing I was preparing to get done. Instead, they show up two days after I get back home from my trip visiting them driving the father-in-law’s pickup truck. I was absolutely certain that everything I had for him to take home would not fit.

They came to work. Tools in the back taking up valuable space but they came in handy. I had a list of big and little jobs for getting this place inspection ready and for the future sale when that should need to happen.

New laptop came unhinged

Tech Support saving the day…again.

They worked hard each day completing projects that I had asked to be done and many that popped up out of current need.

Because my daughter is now living in the room they usually slept in, we had to make adjustments. I gave them my queen bed and tried the air-mattress in the sewing room floor. Didn’t do it for me so we tried to put it in the den and moved out the TV into the living room.

They had to be emptied to move.

He had to get the wiring right for the TV

This had to be unloaded too. So I dusted really good.

He turned one bookcase sideways without unloading. Scary

All the books had to be moved. I slept in there a night and it was slightly better. Mentioning it to my sister, she suggested we come get the full-size bed she wasn’t using. After the hour drive to her house, the kids did a good job of getting it down her stairs, into her open bed truck, then set up in my den. I now have a guest room again. I slept very nicely the rest the two weeks they were here. We had a giant inside shuffle.

Does it have enough air?

It feels ok now.

Very comfy guest bed in the den now.

My son trimmed the shims under the master bedroom toilet and caulked it, replaced the flimsy skirting we had originally put around the new raised deck after the fire and hauled all the wood out from under the deck. It had to go. They pressure washed the old deck wood and cut it to fit in the truck. Then we went to the shed and got four large boxes of Dept 56 village pieces, several boxes of Christmas ornaments and trims, a space heater, pictures and knick knacks that would eventually be his anyway. He took books and anything else I could give him. If he didn’t take it, I threatened it would be sold in the yard sale.

They work as a team.

wood drying out after a good wash. Under the deck was muddy and buggy. Yuk.

They also arranged several contractors to come look at my carport to see about repairing it. It’s leaked since I moved in and I can’t sell it like that. The main roof has to wait…indefinitely. It’s not leaking yet.

A bribe for one of the contractors. His two sons are my step great grandsons. Long story.

They wouldn’t let me pay them so I took them to my new favorite place for breakfast.

In SE Portland, Hawthorne street is an eclectic, artistic area where hippy and creative types hang out. They have great shopping and fun little restaurants. Not a chain to be seen. So, it was breakfast at Bread & Ink for all with my sister joining us. My sister and niece introduced me to this sweet, busy restaurant. Breakfast was my daughter’s contribution because she was always at work. We love the atmosphere and the food. Here is the link to the history of this wonderful little place. They stand for an hour to get a table on weekends. https://www.southeastexaminer.com/2016/01/bread-and-ink-cafe/

Their special bread for French toast and bananas/whipped cream

Best waffles ever and I shared.

Scone and Jam are made here.

Egg scramble

crab omelette and cheesy polenta

Niece’s idea of a balanced meal. Giving it 2 thumbs up

Some of the ink drawings

More of the ink drawings

Ink drawings on envelopes. No longer allowed

Then came the stuffing of the truck. My DIL is quite skilled at fitting 40 pounds of stuff in a two-pound bag. Son took a large portion of what I had set out but there will be more. The truck needed to be a bit bigger.

How do you deal with the unexpected and are you good at stuffing?

Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change. — Jim Rohn

It’s here today and gone tomorrow. Spring finally showed up and I put out my welcome sign. In the next moment, we went back to winter then summer and finally spring again. What we had of spring was lovely Everything is confused except the bees. I’m listening to them.

Dressing in layers is the only way to go these days. We get a cold rainy day then a scorcher. One day I have lots of energy to put into the yard The next day I’m spinning my wheels and sitting trying to decide if I can do anything of use. I’ve been here in my cozy home for four years at the end of this month and made so many changes.

Spring is the month I can get the most work done outside and even inside. Once I could open all the windows, I took a day to clean my oven. Four years ago, it took 4 hours to clean that nasty mess the previous owner left for me. Now it’s taking me a whole day to clean a rarely used oven. Looks like some of my spring, sprang.

Ground cover spreading and front porch in need of serious help.

Weeding on the hill and the front yard took lots of rest periods that would never have happened four years ago. But the end result was worth it.

The entire top of the hill was covered in these sticker weeds. Birds carry the seeds everywhere as does the wind.

beginning of the weeding

Still more work to do but a good start. Lower bed is the Oregano and Thyme.

I have been gifted with pieces of many plants from friends around here. I take those gifts seriously and nurture them to the best of my ability. Of course, I gift in return. A neighbor came looking for Thyme to cook his dinner.He said what I gave would have cost him $5 for a small bundle, he wound up with triple for a thank you. I’ve offered my Oregano as well to anyone that wants fresh. I’ve passed on ground cover and anything that I’m growing that can be split. It’s how the world should work. I get a lot of my plants from a fellow blogger and photographer, Sabine.

Year 2 for the Forsythia start.

Pineapple Lily gifted last week.. I’m such a fortunate person. Sabine separates large clumps of bulbs to thin them out..

Planted last year and the Nigella has bloomed next to the Forget me not.

Sabine also gave me this foxglove along with the weed that came along for the ride. I’ve left it because the bees love it.

This was what butterfly bush looked like two years ago when I planted the starts from my friend, Sabine.

Planted last fall, this gift is going strong.

A big change in two years. Can you see the Lemon Cypress under it? I think it will have to be moved.

A neighbor no longer wanted this Honeysuckle. It’s second season is looking very promising.

There are lots of projects on the list. This week I had the distinct urge to take care of my window trim as it was the last cool, cloudy day on the sunny side of the house. If the butterfly bush blooms, it will be covered in bees which are not conducive to standing on the ladder with black paint. I’m embarrassed to say it’s taken two years to get to this. I’ll do the one on the front porch tomorrow. Then I must sand the stairs and railing on the front porch and re-stain. Today I can’t move. Old feet on ladders takes its toll. I’ll wait for the next surge of energy. They don’t come so often anymore.

Old tape in the sun for 2 years.

Finished trim before the bush blooms.

This is what the other window looked like. This one will be done this week too.

So I’ve hung up the Welcome Summer sign since my spring is sprung anyway. How about you? Are you ready to welcome the next season or is there still a spring in your step?

It’s hard to explain but the best I can say about Alys’ visit is that a switch was flipped and I saw a light at the end of a very dark tunnel. Clearing so much out of my line of sight seemed to lift a weight off of my shoulders. After a short rest, I walked into my organized sewing room and got to work.

All my projects were listed in order of priority. I started with making the kitchen curtains from fabric given to me by my sewing friends. They were coming to my house for sewing that week. It had been laying across the curtain rod since I decided that’s what I wanted to do with the fabric.

Butterflies and flowers

close up view of fabric

Then came a machine embroidery, quilted for a friend who I felt could use a little lift. I had planned to mail it as soon as I finished it but as I finished the binding at my sewing group, my friend Patti said she needed it for the Senior Center’s quilt show because they didn’t have enough to show. It was a fund raiser for the Senior Center and Meals on Wheels. How could I say no?

How it all begins

auditioning fabric for wall hanging

Hanging at the quilt show

Almost couldn’t find it . They put it next to coffee shop door

I’ve never had one of these

Next came the shirt Patti asked me to make for her almost 10 months ago. She gave me the fabric and I had to decide how to piece this puzzle together. It’s the first one I’ve made in at least 10 years. Patti seemed happy with it. It’s called a Big Shirt to be worn over another like a light jacket and this one is made of flannel.

FINISHED on the hanger

Some details

It’s a Big Shirt and Patti is very little

The back of Patti’s shirt

I made a cover for the pillow I need in my car. The old one had long gone to the trash and I had a new form in my closet and even had the cover cut out. That’s as far as it got until the shirt was finished.The serger was out and ready for the shirt so pillow cover was next in line. I’m a little taller in the seat again now.

On to something really easy. Car seat pillow for the vertically challenged

Easy in and out. Used upholstery fabric I’ve had for years

Since they were all sorted and sitting in a reusable zip lock I started on bowl cozies that had been waiting not nearly so long. Batting was already cut so I just cut fabric and marked it for stitching. They go quickly but not quickly enough for me to make for sale. I sew to make gifts. It’s not an easy way to make a living especially if you don’t see well and sew like I walk, wobbly.

There were fun to do but take a bit of time.

So now there is only one project that I’ve procrastinated on for well over a year, as the pattern is one I’ve never used and directions are sketchy. I’ll tackle that next week when the rain starts again. I expect a few uninterrupted days together to get started now that my courage is up there.

I’ve spent time working in my yard pulling weeds which always makes me feel calmer. That’s the plan as long as the rain holds off. bumble bees are working hard out there already so I have to time my work carefully. I’ll keep you posted but it’s already looking much better.

It’s been too long but I see the light! Winter is a favorite time of year…usually. This year was long, dark and exceedingly wet. I’ve plodded along trying to summon up the energy to do things. My friend and fellow blogger at incahootswithmuddyboots.comcame by to cheer me with signs of spring from her yard.

First signs of spring from my friend

The struggle with my vision has really slowed things down. I finally wised up and went back to the optometrist. My glasses that are eight months old were not working and I was scared. “Well no wonder” he says. “You’ve lost a whole diopter of vision since this last prescription.” Now I have no idea what a diopter really is even after my son explained it to me. “What caused it” I asked? He seemed to think it was because of excessive dry eye. That eye doesn’t blink as well as the other and leaks tears since the onset of Bells Palsy 7 years ago. Why am I losing so much vision now?

I bought 5 of these for my sewing group as a Christmas gift. This is mine finally finished.

The back is pink, not my favorite color but it’s cheerful.

It’s possible the C-pap machine that blows wind in my face all night might be drying out the eye if I’m not keeping it well closed in my sleep. I didn’t think that could be the answer so I made another appointment with an ophthalmologist and she verified that the eye was indeed quite healthy and quite dry.

So onto finding solutions. I put in a gel at night for better lubrication and have an eye mask to cover the eyes. My son’s ex-wife saw something online that she thought would help and I checked it out. This morning on my trip to town for lunch with friends, I stopped at the sleep study center and asked if they had it or could they get it for me. In 15 minutes, they saved me the more than $100 and handed one over after a fitting. I practically danced out of the office. No more wind in my face all night. Granted, it’s not terribly attractive but I’m hoping it fills the bill.

The wind is at the top of the head with this one.

So the second pair of glasses that were made a few weeks ago works quite well for distances but I can’t read the computer with them. Back to the old pair when I’m on the laptop. The optometrist will try to come up with another prescription that works better for both. It’s frustrating but there’s still so much I want to do, read and write. Vision seems essential to those desires.

I’ve been working on this forever it seems. Now comes the quilt around it.

In the meantime, the clutter has continued to be cleared. All of the industrial shelving from my son’s storage unit were sold and are gone from the yard. I am continuing to pare down but have found it’s a good idea to go through the boxes carefully before donation. I found a whole bundle of embroidery patterns that I bought almost 10 years ago for over $60. Everything else in the box went, the patterns are now being lined up to work.

I feed a sheet of water soluble adhesive into the printer and then stick it to the fabric, The ink washes away when I’m done.

Started this one this week

There are 15 designs to finish and put into a quilt possibly.

I’ve managed to get a few other things done.

My 2 squares for the donation quilt.

The darker one is mine. Made 2

Each of us puts in 2 squares and this is the result. It will keep someone warm

SSave

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So how are you seeing this time of year? Signs of spring or signs of autumn becoming more clear? Are you starting to perk up or wind down?

There are lessons to be learned about oneself even in the autumn of one’s life. I’m hoping it’s the autumn and not the winter so I have lots of time left for discovery. I’ve discovered I’m a procrastinator, big time.

As I set out to complete my daily tasks, I find that procrastination can be a perpetual companion and a teacher. It tells me there is fear somewhere in the task or maybe something even as strong as dislike.

I’ve had a lot of projects on the back burner lately. As all of the outside projects came to completion, I could finally focus on the inside projects. I realized that when I would rather mop the floor, do the dishes, laundry, vacuuming or make the bed rather than sit at the sewing machine, something was going on.

The workhorse

It started with my newest Viking Diamond Royale sewing machine behaving badly with almost every project. We’ve had many trips back to Montavilla’s where it was purchased and it always seems to work for the doctor. It must be something I’m doing they say. I have an old Viking SE that threads and operates the same but will sew circles around the new one. The new one has a larger embroidery field that I have not yet been able to enjoy. The whole unit is packed away. I don’t need more frustration.

An expensive doorstop. The embroidery unit is not connect here.

My old machine works well, my eyes, eh. They could be better so when working on precision quilts, I have a hard time getting them exact. I’m thinking it’s time to let that go. I’ve done the squares required for the quilt group and am turning my attention to more fun things to make. It has to be fun or why bother.

squares for the Christmas raffle quilt.

October squares for quilt group

Making a shirt for someone is very much like making a quilt. It has to fit just right. So it goes to the top of the procrastination list. Gifts for birthdays and Christmas are moving to the top of the to-do list and can’t even look at the procrastination list. Ten weeks, people, ten weeks is all I have left.

For my friends 80th birthday. She loves blue and white and chickens so I did the embroidery on my old machine.

Put a label and a sleeve on the back.

In the meantime, I found a fun project. Microwave bowl cozies. If you still use a microwave and the bowl is too hot to pull out, then set it in the cozy first, heat and just leave it there to keep your food warm while you eat. You don’t burn your fingers that way. My son thought they were great. I had to make some a bit more masculine looking. They are made of 100% cotton so they don’t melt or catch fire in the microwave. Also handy with a freezing dish of ice cream or frozen fruit. Your hands don’t freeze holding the bowl. I started with fabric that I was going to pass on and worked my way up to fabrics that were chosen by the recipients.

Empty and easy to store

Made from scrap fabrics in two sizes.

Olaf cozies for the Disney fan

coffee lovers bowl cozy

I found some kits for making pillowcases in fun fabrics. U-tube has some wonderful instructions and shortcuts. I’m also a sucker for cute prints and panels. I have one for Halloween on the table waiting for borders, backing and binding to be cut and attached. They should be easy but quilting on the machine is not something I’ve mastered yet. I’ll keep at it though. I still have puckers.

These go quickly especially with a serger.

This goes with the little girls quilt

There was a flaw in the fabric. When I took it back to the store, they gave me new. Good people.

Loved the panel and added borders. A few puckers but a child might not notice.

There is a sleeve at the top for wall hanging if preferred to cuddling under.

So as you can see, I’ve done a little with my down time and need to do so much more. The procrastination list needs to be shredded and everything moved to the do right now list. I have company coming in two weeks and then only eight weeks to get it all finished and mailed or wrapped. Sorry for the reminder. I don’t shop for the holidays, I craft for them.

What’s on your procrastination list? Are any of them creative endeavors?

I had some down time today. Since my birthday I was feeling rather odd and worn, so after all the well-wishing had been completed, I put myself to bed early as I rarely feel under the weather. Why now? I guess getting older required a bit more contemplative time than doing time. I was ready. So I took a box of tissue and several (dozen) large hardy paper towels to my bed and read, sneezed and sleep. I think it’s a great way to spend the Labor Day weekend.

My daughter loves the wrapping as much as the gift. Fresh flowers.

Labor Day weekend supplies.

My son had just left with the car loaded inside and out with tools he needed for the work he’s doing in Arizona. Before leaving this time, he completed a few more little projects here. We thought the pump had gone out on the fountain he had just wired up. Turned out the outlet was bad and needed to be replaced. He put up two more rods in the front bedrooms because I had acquired some free curtains from my daughter.

A mouse could not have found room to ride along

It’s still working this time.

He also helped me put the completed china cabinet back together. I was racing to get it done before he arrived just for that reason. We also retrieved my boxes of tea cups from storage so they could finally be home again. I have wanted to redo this piece of furniture since my sister decided it wasn’t a piece she wanted. Our parents bought it for their first home in 1966 and only our dad really liked the style. But good furniture is hard to find. Solid wood is now rare. I’ve never been a fan of painting wood but this piece was so heavy-looking that I just felt like lightning it up. I have a lot of white in my home now as my vision needs things that reflect light rather than diminish it.

It looks much lighter with the flash but it’s solid wood.

I tried to store crafts in there. Not all that helpful.

Taking the drawers out and the hardware off.

I also seriously underestimated the amount of work this would take. The back had to come off to get to the inside. It took a while to get it off alone without toppling the cabinet off the cutting table that was on wheels. I also found out that I could not clear the back door frame, so it had to be painted in the kitchen. The bottom part of the cabinet I put on a towel and pulled it outside. Only needing to lift over the threshold. Later, I will show you the other projects that have been completed but this one deserves its own post. Some liked the end result, some didn’t. I’m quite happy with it and until I’m not, it shall remain as is.

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Note the bright red hardware my daughter thought would be a nice choice in the dining room. Good Feng Shui says that since it’s in the fame area of my home, pops of red are recommended. I want to be known for my hospitality. You are always welcome to tea.

Some rearranging still needs to be done but they are back where they belong.

You can cast your vote either way. I’m always open to new ideas. Please share your thoughts as well as projects you’ve been working on.

August is just beginning and I’ve let two months go by without a post. I wasn’t sure I had another one in me. I think it’s because I’ve had so much going on that I didn’t have the brain energy to do more than journal about it at night. If I didn’t, I couldn’t remember what all I had done that day. I’m supposed to be retired and I guess that’s true, I’m re-tired. Over and over again. Tired when I get up, and beat when I fall into bed. It’s summer vacation time, right? I think I’ll declare today a vacation day.

So far my son, with my second pair of hands holding and fetching, completed the replacing of the old deck adding a second set of stairs. Stairs are not easy.

To jog your memory before the fire

This is the start of the stairs. My son has never built stairs before. After photos to follow.

It’s all one now

I painted three sides of my house and all the trim. He did the really high spots. He built two gates, I painted or stained them.

Just the sealer

painted to match the house like it was always there.

He used up some of the old wood from the old deck to build planter boxes.

Made from the wood of the old deck. Nothing going to waste. Shoveled 2 1/2 yards of good soil but didn’t need it all.

A second smaller planter box

A good friend gave me some starts of butterfly bushes. They are doing well here.

I painted, with several coats the driveway divider between my place and my neighbors. It makes the driveway area much lighter. I planted the boxes to try my hand at gardening. Then there was the cleanup work of stuffing leftover lumber under the deck out of sight and putting up the skirting I painted.

two coats of sealer and two of outdoor paint barely covered this awful wood. For neighbors privacy

We were shooting for a June first completion date with the expectation of this year’s inspection on the property. As life or luck would have it, we now have new property managers and so far, there has been no word of inspections…yet. We were also hurrying to get everything done including inside projects as my son was leaving to go help someone else out-of-state. He put up new outside light fixtures and curtain rods so I could get the curtains made later ( you’ll see those next time), then cleaned out his room on the off-chance of guests.

A little more girly now.

We have been moving stuff all spring and summer. I’m ready for a day or two at the beach. Instead, I pressure washed the deck, patio, and driveway.

cleaned driveway, deck and back patio.

If they want to inspect, I’m ready. Maybe now I can think straight enough to get some pictures together to go with this rambling. This isn’t all I did this summer. The rest will come shortly, I promise. The brain is starting to work again.

Have you had anything that looks like a summer vacation? I can live vicariously. Please share.